Sunday Homily 8-23-09, 21st Ordinary Time
Joshua 24, 1-18; Psalm 34, Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord; Ephesians 5, 21-32 ; John 6, 60-69.
Joshua:
Who is Joshua and what is this booklet about: Joshua was Moses' assistant, his lieutenant when the the Israelites wandered in the desert. The booklet is the story of the Israelite invasion of Canaan under Joshua's leadership.
Author: somewhat amusingly, the fundamentalists say that Joshua wrote most of the booklet. More scientific scholars say the work is a compilation of a number of sources.
Date of composition: again fundamentalists state that the booklet was composed 1400-1370, i.e., while Joshua lived. Scholars of a broader vision suggest that even if a Joshua existed the work was put together 800-700 BCE.
The work combines a number of traditions about battles & destruction of cities to create a nationalistic narrative that justifies the Israelites' taking another peoples' land for their own. Like kids say, 'He made me do it.' Here the Israelites are saying, 'Yahweh made me do it.'
Ethical Question: genocide. This is a bloody book. Yahweh commands that the Israelites exterminate every breathing thing, including women & children & livestock.
The battle of Jericho is characteristic. For 6 days the Israelites marched around the city, blowing horns and menacing the people. On day 7 they marched around 7 times and the walls came tumbling down, as in the spiritual. Then every person except one woman & her family were slaughtered. Lots of debate and rationalization over these events.
Our Selection: The last chapter of the booklet. Joshua, who is dying, calls the people together at a place called Sechem and puts it to them. Stick with Yahweh who has done all these things for you (which are mentioned in the text but are long & tedious) or choose another path of your own.
Sources: Good News Bible, Got Questions.org, Wikipedia
Ephesians: Got to say a word about this selection because it involves some pretty amusing observations from Paul. For instance, the famous statements, "Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord." "The husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church."
Some years ago while I was waiting in a line to ride the roller coaster at 6 Flags I overheard a husband telling his wife to obey him because of this passage. I almost dropped my teeth.
Some perspective: Traditionally there are three types of relationships.
1. Matriarchal: the woman/wife is the head of the family. Culturally this has been established.
2. Patriarchal: the husband is the head.
3. Equality: both are partners, husband and wife.
Paul's place: guess which paradigm Paul comes from? Paul lives in a culture which considered women & children little more than domestic animals. In Tanzania I found the same paradigm among the ordinary people. Even though today Paul can sound wako & chauvanistic, what he says about husbands loving their wives as they love their own bodies, this was pretty radical.
Today: all three of the paradigms are valid. Among most educated people, however, equality between husband & wife, men & women is the most healthy for all involved.
Peter McGinn, 1948-2009
It was mid February when Rosemary first got word that Peter her brother was infected with amiloidosis, a rare and virulent infection that strikes mostly men 60-65. Peter was 60.
It was mid March, after enduring a menu of chemo for a month, that Peter & his wife Marilyn decided to go recuperate at their house in Hilton Head, in a plantation near to Joe & Clare, Rosemary's sister & brother in law. We decided at the last minute to fly over there to see Peter, it being easier than to visit him in Binghamton, NY. This was the last time we would see him.
He died this past Monday morning after finding out that the amiloidosis had begun to attack his lungs, that he could not endure a heart transplant, and that he was simply being kept alive by meds & machines. After visiting with his two adult daughters & Marilyn Saturday evening and Sunday morning, Peter chose to cease all meds and machine aids that Sunday afternoon. About 15 hours later he died peacefully.
I wanted to speak about him because of at least three reasons I admired him and felt quite a kinship, not just of family, but of spirit.
First, his love of psychology & intelligent spirituality. He got his doctorate in psych at Johns Hopkins and used it in creative ways. He was the CEO of United Health Services. He was the kind of CEO who would eat in the hospital cafeteria, asking random groups, like the nursing staff or the maintenance staff if he might join them for lunch.
As a psychologist he was a teacher & a systems man. In fact, I used to laugh. He would send me articles each month. And he asked me to review his latest book. I would read a title like 'Ways to facilitate communication with your board.' I open the article and he had 23 points. I would send him a note saying, "Too much." As you know, I lean toward systems myself, but after 3 or 4 I am exhausted.
Secondly, I loved Peter because he was a biker. A bicycle rider. In fact, we had planned a bike ride in Hilton Head which he could not manage because he was too weak. This was only symptomatic of his dedication to being a well rounded man, a renaissance man like we used to try to model ourselves in the Jesuits. He was intellectually & physically, psychologically & spiritual balanced. I see it as the basis for his peace and acceptance of his ultimate path.
Thirdly, he taught a platinum rule. Not just the golden rule, which says, 'treat others as you would have them treat you.' The platinum rule is, 'Treat others as they would like to be treated." He had 23 reason why this was more effective.
Significantly, according to what I'm told, he practiced the platinum rule even in the hours after he had ceased life support. As doctors & staff stopped by his room, he thanked each one, mentioning how they had touched him.
Tomorrow morning, Monday, Rosemary & I will attend a family only memorial in Binghamton. A month from now a large open to all his friends memorial will be scheduled and we will attend.
Who is the Peter McGinn in your life?
Picture 1: Mass with Kevin & T.J.
Picture 2: Choir, Wendy, Ray, & Celeste
Picture 3: Peter McGinn
Picture 4: Peter McGinn–
The two charities that Dad favored in lieu of flowers are Seva and the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. They are both online, Seva.org, and foodbankst.org. Rosemary T. McGinn
Check out a review of Peter: